The dust has now settled on the 2016 World Championships. There were some great matches and fantastic rallies to enjoy.
However, there was one big disappointment:A lack of spectators. With the exception of the final (5,000 Chinese made the trip) there was hardly anybody watching in the stadium. The atmosphere was incredibly sterile. The England/Japan semi-final was a classic but it only attracted about 200.
The big question is: Why do the ITTF give this prestigious event (second only to the Olympics) to a country that has no history or real interest in the sport? (I'm all for spreading the TT message but you shouldn't mess about with this blue ribbon tournament.)
Personally, I think it's time to restrict the World Champs to only established countries. The following would do a great job and create an amazing atmosphere - China, Japan, Korea, Germany, France and, possibly, England. (Yeah, I'm slightly biased. We haven't held it since 1998 - we deserve another shot.)
However, there was one big disappointment:A lack of spectators. With the exception of the final (5,000 Chinese made the trip) there was hardly anybody watching in the stadium. The atmosphere was incredibly sterile. The England/Japan semi-final was a classic but it only attracted about 200.
The big question is: Why do the ITTF give this prestigious event (second only to the Olympics) to a country that has no history or real interest in the sport? (I'm all for spreading the TT message but you shouldn't mess about with this blue ribbon tournament.)
Personally, I think it's time to restrict the World Champs to only established countries. The following would do a great job and create an amazing atmosphere - China, Japan, Korea, Germany, France and, possibly, England. (Yeah, I'm slightly biased. We haven't held it since 1998 - we deserve another shot.)